Fratello.com – Détails, épisodes et analyse

All watch collectors have one watch that they will never part with. It might not be the most expensive piece in the collection, the rarest, or even the one that gets the most wrist time. Sometimes, a watch becomes irreplaceable for reasons that have very little to do with specifications, market value, or prestige. In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Daan and Thomas to discuss the watches they simply couldn't imagine selling. Along the way, the conversation touches on sentimentality, personal milestones, and how our relationships with watches can evolve. While many collectors talk about buying and selling as part of the hobby, some pieces seem destined to stay.

Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! As promised, we've returned after a week with more banter and plenty of watch talk. This time around, we discuss the oft-mentioned summer watch and how we feel about it in 2026. Of course, we cover plenty of other subjects. Enjoy the show!

Ah, the summer watch. If given little thought, it's easy to call it a diver and walk away, but we find that definition limiting. We eventually come to the topic but hit upon more than a handful of other watches. Settle in for a lengthy chat while you're prepping the pool or the back terrace for the season to come.

Handgelenkskontrolle

We begin our show discussing recent performances that we've attended. Mike returned from Beetlejuice The Musical, a fun romp that just opened in London. Balazs, on the other hand, saw Slowhand, aka Eric Clapton, in concert. Then, there's the long-awaited opening of Terminal 3 at your hosts' favorite airport, Frankfurt.

Mike shares a tip about pre-ordering duty-free there and the availability of a desirable bourbon. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Balazs is wearing one of his favorites, the Ming 17.09 on a Ming rubber strap. Mike is back into vintage with his Heuer Carrera 2447 S, a watch that recently accompanied him to Soccer Aid 2026.

The intermezzo — new releases

Before attacking our main topic, the summer watch, we discuss a bevy of new pieces that could qualify as timepieces of the season. First, there's the Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 "Bumble Bee," which heralds a new case size from the popular brand. Both of us like it and are excited to see which colors may come next. The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty is a beautiful, albeit luxurious, release that nails its brief as a true contender to other pieces in its competitive set. For Mike, this watch enters the horse race against his longtime crush, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF 36. Balazs mentions the surprising new Timex Atelier collection. It consists of four modern watches, some of which have Sellita automatic movements. More to come! Finally, Mike segues to our main topic with the Norqain Wild One Skeleton X-Lite, a watch that feels like nothing is on the wrist, an important criterion in the heat.

The summer watch

Balazs leads off our discussion of the summer watch and makes it clear that it's not only about dive watches. We mention some key attributes that help define a piece that works in the heat, by the pool, or just in general. Brightly colored dials work well during this sunny period, but so do audacious designs, including skeletonized pieces. However, we're both quick to agree that a skeletonized piece needs to be executed well, or it looks cheap. No one wants that by the Riviera!

If a brightly colored dial isn't your cup of tea, why not try a vividly hued strap instead? Loads of options can help a watch dress down during the warmer season. Of course, lightweight materials are very on-trend and feel great when the mercury rises. Titanium is incredibly common now, and carbon has become a go-to medium for many companies in different price ranges. Most of all, though, we think it's best to choose something enjoyable for the summer that's worry-free and satisfying.

We hope you enjoy today's episode and look forward to your comments. Let us know what you'll be sporting this summer, whether at the office or by the sea.

"Chronometer" is one term that frequently comes up in watchmaking. We see it stamped on dials, highlighted in marketing materials, and often used as a synonym for "high quality." But how much does chronometer certification actually matter to us as collectors? In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is joined by Daan and RJ to unpack the role of this certification in modern watch collecting. Is it something we actively look for? Does it influence buying decisions? Or is it one of those things that sounds more important than it feels in daily wear?

Today, on Fratello Talks, we're discussing Audemars Piguet. The brand is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025 and has kicked things off by introducing a selection of new models earlier this week. Lex was in Le Brassus to report on the novelties, and Nacho and RJ now join him for this week's discussion. They begin by looking at said novelties and wrap things up by sharing their thoughts on the brand's current direction and whether they've felt the influence of recently appointed CEO Ilaria Resta yet.

We're back with another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we're in myth-busting mode. We've seen some silly things on social media, and it's time to shed light on them. For our listeners, the watch content begins after 25 minutes.

On one hand, we're pleased that so much watch-related content now exists. On the other, the flood of influencers brings a wide array of commentary. Social media is entertaining, but it's also important to keep a clear head while consuming it. In this episode, we go on a myth-busting mission. Enjoy the ride!

Handgelenkskontrolle

We kick off our episode discussing sneakers and TV shows. Nike and New Balance have released some new models worth consideration. Balazs mentions The Madness, a series on Netflix. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his new Timex Ironman 8-Lap Gray Shades. It's a model sold exclusively by Timex Japan and is relatively affordable. Balazs is wearing his tried-and-true Ming 17.09 on his favorite black rubber strap.

Myth-busting

We move on to our main topic and begin with one of the silliest claims we've heard on social media. Seemingly, it's trendy to make provocative comments to help build a fan base. One influencer proclaimed that there are no underrated vintage watches left to discover. Hogwash, we say! Then, we discuss a recent video on salesperson etiquette at a watch boutique. Next, we tackle an influencer's self-created fan Q&A. Finally, there's some silly terminology running amok, geezer.

We hope you enjoy today's episode. If you have ideas for future shows, please let us know!

In this week's episode of Fratello Talks, we're making a public service announcement: don't let money stop you from enjoying watches! This topic is close to our hearts and has come up more than once at Fratello HQ lately. So today Nacho, Lex, and Thomas gather around the microphones and hash out their thoughts on the matter. Ultimately, it's something we can recommend to you all: don't limit your appreciation. Ownership is a small (and somewhat arguably overrated) part of the equation. We believe it should still be possible to praise and enjoy a watch (or any other object of fascination) from a distance and on its merits alone. Arbitrarily discrediting something based on one factor eventually takes the fun out of it.

Welcome back to Fratello On Air! This week, we tackle the second half of our discussion on vintage chronographs. We get into the weeds in this episode, so we hope you like it nerdy!

Last week, we kicked off this discussion on vintage chronographs with our thoughts on why we find these watches so alluring. We mentioned racing, the space race, and other daring feats, along with how chronographs were present during many of these activities. Now we're ready to go into detail.

Handgelenkskontrolle

Because we recorded this episode directly after the last, we skipped the usual banter. Don't worry; it will return next week! For the Handgelenkskontrolle, both of us are on task with our choices. Mike is wearing a Roamer Stingray Chrono Diver, one of the wildest vintage chronographs he owns. The case shape, quality, patina, and Valjoux 23 movement all make it a lovable piece. Balazs is wearing his Grana LE, a Hungarian Air Force piece with a lovely patina.

Vintage Chronographs Part 2

We begin with a discussion on the market for vintage chronographs. Then, we mention buying these watches, what to look out for, and what to expect during ownership. After all, these are relatively complex timepieces, so there is a greater potential for issues. Condition and originality are also worth considering. Chronographs contain many details, including specific pushers, hands, and dials. Finding replacements can be impossible. Finally, we mention key models and movements. The Valjoux 72, Lemania 321, EP 4, and El Primero 3019PHC are some of the calibers we discuss. The Breitling Chronomat, Gallet Decimal, Omega Speedmaster, and Zenith El Primero A386 come up during the show.

As always, thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode. If you'd like us to come back and discuss our favorite vintage chronographs, just comment below. Of course, if you have suggestions for future shows, please let us know.

Hello, and welcome to Fratello Talks. In today's episode, we're taking on the challenge of building a €15,000 watch collection. Nacho, RJ, and Lex have crunched the numbers and leafed through the catalogs and each selected three modern (currently available at retail) watches that they would buy if they had a €15K budget. It's a hypothetical exercise and meant to be just a bit of fun, but ultimately, it's still a challenge trying to leverage the budget to get the most bang for their buck. So, if you want to know which watches these three members of the Fratello team would go for today, tune in to find out.

Welcome to another episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we begin a two-part series on vintage chronographs. Apparently, our listeners like hearing about these complicated watches that measure elapsed time. Note that the watch content starts after approximately 25 minutes.

Vintage chronographs are a special category of watches. They're complex, often fragile, and strangely addictive! In this episode, we'll begin exploring what makes them so alluring. In our next installment, we'll get specific on models, movements, and what to look out for when buying.

Handgelenkskontrolle

Our episode begins with a discussion about Super Bowl LIX. We then discuss more TV shows. Mike mentions a recent visit to Roseberys, a London-based auction house, where he attended a preview and witnessed some interesting behavior. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is wearing his cherished Rolex Datejust 1600 with a blue dial. Balazs is enjoying his Rolex Submariner 5513, which he recently featured in a fantastic article.

Vintage chronographs

We then begin discussing our main topic — why we are so attracted to chronographs. We began our collecting journeys wanting these types of watches but found ourselves attracted to pieces from different decades. Mike leaped into the '60s, while Balazs enjoyed the '40s, '50s, and '70s. We end our episode by mentioning iconic models, including the Omega Speedmaster, Rolex Daytona, Breitling Navitimer, Heuer Carrera, and Universal Genève Compax. Stay tuned for next week's podcast in which we uncover more details!

Thank you for listening to this week's edition of Fratello On Air. As always, if you have suggestions for future shows, please let us know!

Welcome back to Fratello Talks. It's time for some tough love! Today, Nacho, Lex, and Daan are talking about a handful of watch brands with untapped potential. These are big names in the watch world that they deeply respect and admire but feel are not currently delivering to the full extent of their capability. This can relate to a brand's history and legacy, its technical expertise, or even aspects of watchmaking on which a brand has fallen behind. Some of it may sound harsh, but it's all well-intentioned feedback. These are brands that they are rooting for to do better and that they know, with some finesse and adjustment, could be genuinely excellent.